13.Format. Hum-SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEFS of HIGHER
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IMPACT: International Journal of Research in Humanities, Arts and Literature (IMPACT: IJRHAL) ISSN (P): 2347-4564; ISSN (E): 2321-8878 Vol. 5, Issue 12, Dec 2017, 79-86 © Impact Journals SUPERSTITIOUS BELIEFS OF HIGHER SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS, IN PATHANAMTHITTA DISTRICT OF KERALA STATE SINDHU.B 1 & B.TAMILSELVI 2 1Research Scholar, Department of Education, Karpagam University, Karpagam Academy of Higher Education, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India 2Associate Professor, Department of Education, Karpagam University, Karpagam Academy of Higher Education, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India ABSTRACT Superstition is a belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance which is transferred from generation to generation. The assessment of superstitiousness, as a component of paranormal belief has encountered by many conceptual and psychometric difficulties (Harvey J. Irwin). Superstition is primarily ignorance. Men due to lack of proper culture and education, they hoped to be depended upon certain happenings. Effects of superstition on student life are mainly loss of concentration, lack of interest in studies, mental disorder and hampering the development of an individual’s personality. To eradicate this, present study has made an attempt to study the superstitions of higher secondary School teachers by taking a sample of 200 teachers. The present study also aims to find out the difference, between the superstitious beliefs of higher secondary teachers, whose age is below 35 and above35, teachers coming from village and town area and those who teach in government and aided higher secondary schools in Pathanamthitta District of Kerala State. The superstitions do not differ significantly between that groups classified in terms of age, place of residence and type of management. The analysis and interpretation are made, by us through authentic statistical techniques. KEYWORDS: Superstitious Beliefs, Higher Secondary, School, Teachers, Pathanamthitta, Kerala INTRODUCTION The word superstition is not a useful scientific term because one man’s superstition is another man’s religion or moral convention. It is a common and blind belief that, certain events bring good luck or bad luck, for a person and that happiness can be foretold, by specific unrelated prior events. Superstitious persons have faith in luck, ghosts, evil spirits, omens, supernatural powers, etc. They think that these powers govern our success and failure. The measurement of superstitiousness is to play a pivotal role in the development of interest, in the construct of paranormal belief. There are various traditions and beliefs that have been followed by Hindus, since ancient times. Most of these beliefs, it is argued nowadays are Superstitions, which people follow blindly for the fear of being cursed or harmed, by powers or God. However the research studies have shown now that, some of these beliefs or superstitions have scientific reasons associated with them. Therefore, it is hard to make out the boundaries of superstition and it is a belief which is irrational and mysterious or a tendency to gain privilege, from the supernatural powers. Thus, the form of a particular superstition may be decided by environmental and social factor, and the demand to cope with prevailing superstitions. The degree to which a person feels the desire or need to control events in their lives also influences how the superstitious a person is. The internal Impact Factor(JCC): 3.6586 - This article can be downloaded from www.impactjournals.us 80 Sindhu.B & B.Tamilselvi and external locus of control is associated, with the belief in superstition. Need for the Study A study related to the superstitions of teachers shall be of paramount importance to all; because teachers are the makers of the society. Therefore, a study on this direction shall have social, educational and philosophical values. The beliefs of the teachers are considered, to be associated with their quality and effectiveness; moreover there is a chance of transferring the same to the students. The blind belief on superstition from the minds of the teachers is to be eradicated, with the help of the study. Review of Literature India is a veritable museum of superstitions. Instead of using the phrase ‘Superstitious belief” it is better to use the phrase ‘Superstitiousness of a belief”. A belief which is most acceptable in the light of present day Scientific Knowledge can be considered as the least superstitious belief. Superstition is primarily ignorance. Men due to lack of proper culture and education, it hoped to be depended and to some extent relied upon certain happenings, mostly in the nature of unexplanatory. Belief in the ability to attract good luck provides a greater illusion of control than the belief that an event, such as breaking a mirror, unavoidability brings bad luck by RICHARD MORRIS & MARK D GRIFFITHS (2013). The findings here provide preliminary support for the idea that superstition, paranormal belief, sensation seeking, impulsivity and irrational beliefs, about gambling related factors, probability and chances are involved in affinity for gambling. India is a land of superstitions and a child perceives, and devours superstitions from his/ her very childhood. People were scared in the Middle Ages and didn’t know, about the world and used superstitions as a way, to explain why and how things happened in the middle ages that’s why there is superstitions. If people in the middle ages would have known more about the world there probably wouldn’t be as many superstitions today, also religious people used superstitions to these advantages, as in to tell people that, this is what happens when you don’t do god’s will RUTHANNE CULBERT (2013). We the superstitious engage in superstitious behaviors, in order to regain a sense of control in an otherwise uncontrollable situation KAITLYN HANISKO (2013). There is a relationship between gender and tendency, to superstition by ROGHAYYESH EBRAHIMI ZAD (21014) in Superstitious beliefs and some of its causes. The belief in superstitions is a general characteristic of a subject and not limited to a certain category of superstitions. The more a person is superstitious, the more it will allow more time performing rituals OLGA DOMNICA MOLDOVAN (2016). Aim of the Study The study has been conducted to find out the level of superstitious beliefs of selected higher secondary school teachers. Also, we have to find out whether there is any significant difference, in superstitious beliefs among higher secondary school teachers, whose age is below35 and above 35, teachers who are residing in village and town area, who are working in Government and Aided higher secondary schools in Pathanamthitta District of Kerala state. This study related to the superstitious beliefs of teachers shall be of paramount importance to all, because the teachers are the builders of the society. Superstitious beliefs of the teachers influence their students negatively. Therefore, a study on this direction shall have social, educational and psychological values. NAAS Rating: 3.10- Articles can be sent to [email protected] Superstitious Beliefs of Higher Secondary School Teachers in Pathanamthitta District of Kerala State 81 The aim of the study is to find out the level of Superstition of higher secondary school teachers, in Kerala. Therefore, the result of the study shall have social, educational and psychological impacts. Objectives of the Study • To find out the level of superstitious beliefs of higher secondary school teachers. • To find out whether there is any significant difference in the superstitious beliefs of the higher secondary school teachers, whose age is below35 and above 35. • To find out whether there is any significant difference in the superstitious beliefs of the higher secondary school teachers, whose place of residence is village and town. • To find out whether there is any significant difference in the superstitious beliefs of Government and Aided higher secondary school teachers. HYPOTHESES OF THE STUDY In this Study the following Null Hypotheses are to be Used • There is no significant difference in the superstitious beliefs of higher secondary school teachers, whose age is below 35 and above 35. • 2. There is no significant difference in the superstitious beliefs of higher secondary school teachers, whose place of residence is village and town. • 3. There is no significant difference in the superstitious beliefs of Government and Aided higher secondary school teachers. RESEARCH METHOD For the present study, the investigator followed the normative survey method. The population selected is the school teachers and the sample used here are higher secondary school teachers in Kerala. Researcher collected the data from 200 higher secondary school teachers, from 12 higher secondary schools in Pathanamthitta District of Kerala State. The researcher used stratified random collection technique, for the sample collection. Sub sample collected on the basis of age (Below35-96, Above35-104), place of residence (Village-40, Town-160) and type of management (Govt-131, Aided- 69) used t-test to find out the significant difference, among the mean scores of the above sample. Table 1: Distribution of the Total Sample and Sub-Samples Based on age, Place of Residence and Type of Management Number of Higher Secondary Teachers Sl. Place of Type of Name of the School Age No Total Residence Management Below 35 Above 35 Village Town Govt. Aided 1 GHSS Omalloor 15 6 9 3 12 15 2